Under the Roses
by Relena for President
Summary: The best way to safeguard something precious is to keep it secret... "Sometimes I'd rather just tell the truth." "Then why don't you?" Relena pursed her lips. "I don't want to open Pandora's box..."
1. Birthday Blues

Relena glanced at her watch for what felt like the hundredth time that hour. Quarter to three. She had plenty of time to get there, but what was the harm in leaving a little early? She glanced warily out the office window to the streets below, noting the swarm of press. So she would cause a slight commotion upon exiting; it was nothing she wasn't used to.

She tore her eyes away from the window, back to the framed photo on her desk. A frame that had been constructed just for her with recycled cardboard and bits of macaroni, glitter, and plastic googly eyes stuck on with glue. It was already four years old and falling to pieces, but she didn't care. Her heart swelled to what felt like an impossible size within her chest cavity. That did it. She was leaving early.

Any motivation she had to finish up lingering paperwork or respond to unanswered voicemails and emails was laid to rest as she shut down her computer, pressed the "night" button on her phone and gathered up her things. She often worked from home in the evenings, anyway, and would just check in later. Right then, she had somewhere else to be.

It was still warm for November, but there was a nip in the air hinting that winter was on its way. Relena slipped on a lightweight gray wool coat with a full skirt and belt that complemented her chic suit dress and color-coordinating pumps. Cameras were about to chronicle her journey from the office lobby to her town car; she might as well be photo-ready.

Her bodyguard entered the office as he rapped on the door. He had never been in the habit of knocking, but he'd startled her so many times in the past by just bursting into rooms that he tried to at least give her a head's up now and then. Relena gave him an easy smile.

"You're ready to go." His tone hinted at surprise. "It's not even three yet."

Relena took a few steps toward him. "I thought we'd go a few minutes early."

"Ah." He gave her an understanding look. "Jailbreak?" His mouth twitched into a smirk, which made her laugh.

"It's not _that_ early. I thought about pulling him out sooner, but he'd never forgive me." She rolled her eyes playfully. "That would be _so_ uncool."

"Right." Heero took Relena's briefcase from her and adjusted the earpiece that linked him to the rest of her security detail. "So what's the plan?"

"For now?" She shifted her handbag over her shoulder and followed Heero out of the office, down the hallway and toward the elevator. "I just want to get him home first, give him his snack, and try to have a low-key evening. Then we can plan the rest of the weekend together."

"We?" Heero arched a single brow as they stepped into the elevator. "Together?"

"Yes." Relena angled her body toward him so that they stood mere inches apart. At this, Heero's eyebrow lifted a little higher. "As in you and I."

He frowned, folding his arms over his chest. "What do you want me to do?"

Relena sensed his discomfort but found it amusing. _Men._ "You can help. It'll be quick and painless. Promise."

"That's what you said last year, and that definitely wasn't true."

"What do you mean?" Relena frowned, nonplussed. She waved a hand dismissively. "I thought it went fine."

Heero's laugh rang out staccato in the small elevator. "It was chaos."

Relena grinned. "Ah, but it was _controlled_ chaos."

"If you say so." The elevator pinged as the doors opened, and the two stepped forward together. "Just promise me one thing, Relena…"

She gave him a questioning glance as they walked briskly through the lobby, toward the hungry swarm surrounding the building.

Heero paused, his hand on the glass door.

"No live animals this year."

Relena laughed as they stepped outside together. She could comply with that request. Maybe.

The questions started flying at them as they attempted to cut a path to the town car.

"Relena! What are you doing with Dexter today?"

"It's just Dex," Relena answered softly to the young male reporter trailing her, his handheld recorder outstretched. "D-E-X."

"Dex. Got it. So. What are you guys doing today?"

"Nothing, really. Just spending some quality time together." She glanced warily at Heero up ahead. He seemed to sense her gaze and shot a glance over his shoulder. His furtive eyes told her to keep quiet, or share only the bare minimum.

"And where will his birthday festivities be held?"

Relena smiled, thinking of what Heero would say if a microphone were thrust at him instead. She winked and said cryptically, "That's classified."

"Will his father be there?"

The question stopped Relena in her tracks— just for a second. She instantly recovered and fell back into step with her bodyguard.

"No more questions," Heero interrupted curtly.

 _Wow,_ Relena thought. He never did that.

Heero forced multiple members of the press corps to step aside as he opened the car door for Relena and made sure she got inside securely. He gave the crowd one last glower – his version of a warning – before getting in beside her.

"Go," he instructed the driver flatly.

Questions rang in Relena's ears as they sped away— several more had been lobbed at her as she made her way through the throng.

"Relena, how does it feel to be the parent of an eight-year-old, when you're still so young?"

"Who is Dex's father?"

"Relena, will you ever reveal who the father is?"

"Where is this mystery man?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose to quell an oncoming headache.

"You knew that would happen," Heero observed.

"Yeah." She sighed, sending her bangs skyward. At twenty-eight she still had her schoolgirl looks. She heard it all the time: "You don't look old enough to have a son that age!" Worse was when people noted that she was unmarried, and asked her none too gently if Dex had been a mistake.

"You were so young, and all alone," some would coo. "Poor dear."

Over the years Relena had gotten sick of hearing that; she never wanted anyone to feel sorry for her when she felt incredibly blessed. But, then, if people couldn't see how happy she was, perhaps that was her fault for not showing it enough.

But, then, she did like keeping to herself. And to the public, her family was absolutely off-limits.

The car wound its way to Dex's private school just a few miles from Relena's office, the stately building secured behind a massive iron gate where the driver was required to enter a passcode. That task done, he drove up to the building's main entrance.

Children stood in clusters with their teachers, waiting for parents to retrieve them. Per Relena's instruction, however, Dex had to wait inside.

She emerged from the car after Heero, always allowing him to scan an area first before acting on her own. Picking Dex up from school – and dropping him off – was a weekday routine, and a team effort. Thankfully it was Friday, and the start of a three-day weekend, so there would be a mini-reprieve in the schedule. Relena couldn't wait.

Heero glanced around, his hand on his holster before nodding to Relena. Together they climbed the school steps leading up to the entrance. Upon seeing the pair, a teacher opened the door and allowed Dex to step outside. He grinned up at them, unabashedly happy for the freedom.

"Happy birthday." Relena ruffled his chocolate brown hair, her icy blue eyes warm with affection.

"Mom." Her son's bright blue eyes blinked up at her. "You said that already."

Relena tipped her head at him. "So I'm not allowed to say it again?"

Dex stepped past Relena and tugged on the bottom of Heero's blazer. The boy's eyes gleamed as he glimpsed the piece his bodyguard had concealed. Heero's lips twitched when he noticed Dex's appreciation.

"You're gonna take me shooting this weekend. Right, Heero?" the young boy looked up hopefully.

Relena's face went scarlet. "Absolutely not."

Heero winked at Dex conspiratorially, and the boy grinned.

"Hey!" Relena shot Heero a glare. "I saw that."

He gave her a look over Dex's head that she interpreted to mean _relax_. His steely eyes seemed to soften as he regarded her. Relena continued to flush and began twisting a long strand of blonde hair around her fingers, a girlish habit she had yet to break. How he managed to reduce her to a lovestruck teenager every time…

Heero broke eye contact as he led mother and son to their vehicle. Dex settled happily in the middle seat between Heero and Relena.

"Sit here," Relena said, switching with Dex. "The middle's not safe."

Dex pouted, a look he'd picked up from his mother. "I wanna sit by Heero, too."

"I'm right here, Dex," Heero intoned flatly, shutting the door.

"We're all going home, anyway," Relena pointed out.

"I _know_ ," Dex whined. "But, still…"

Relena looked to Heero again, who just shrugged.

"You spoil him," she said softly.

Heero reached up to tuck a strand of Relena's hair behind her ear. "Wonder where he gets _that_ from."

Relena responded with a little smirk of her own. "I don't know what you mean…"

* * *

Dex was sitting at the kitchen island, his short legs dangling off the bar stool he sat on, happily munching an apple when Relena came over with the book.

"You know what time it is…" she called in a singsong voice.

Dex scowled. Heero chuckled from the other side of the counter, coring an apple of his own.

"Relena, you know he hates that thing."

"Yeah," Dex piped up. "Can't we just skip it this year?"

"Nope." Relena took a seat in between them. "Traditions are important, my little man. Especially this one."

Dex rolled his eyes as Relena flipped open to the first page of his baby book, a powder blue-colored monstrosity.

"Are you still gonna do this when I'm thirty?"

Heero's chest rumbled as he chuckled again.

"You bet," Relena said with a goofy grin. "Every single year, until I'm not around anymore." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "You can count on it."

Dex seemed to understand the shift in her tone, and nodded at his mother. He leaned over on his elbows so he could see the book better.

Relena giggled. "I can't believe I took a picture of my pregnancy test…"

Dex grimaced. "Me either. Gross."

"Moving on…" Relena turned the page. "Look, here's Heero painting your nursery…"

Dex glanced up at Heero. "How come you had to do it?"

"I wanted to, but he wouldn't let me." Relena gave Heero a playful pout.

"Paint fumes," Heero explained.

"We used non-toxic paint, though," Relena pointed out.

Heero shrugged. "Can't be too careful."

Relena's finger rested on another photo. "My closest friends threw me a baby shower. There's your grandma Mareen…"

"My _only_ grandma," Dex muttered. "Not like I have a bunch of 'em."

"Dex." Heero warned. "Don't take that tone with your mother."

Relena waved a hand at Heero. "It's fine."

"No, it's not." Heero glowered. To Dex he added, "Say you're sorry."

"Sorry," Dex mumbled.

Relena shut the book gently, regarding her son with a sad smile. "Maybe you are getting a little too old for this."

"No, I'm not," he quickly protested.

"It's okay." Relena slid off the barstool. "I'm tired, anyway. Why don't you guys go play outside or something? I'm just going to rest a little while."

She walked off, clutching the baby book to her chest.

Dex squirmed under Heero's reproachful look.

"You hurt her feelings."

"I didn't mean to…"

"Better go apologize."

Dex lowered his eyes to his plate.

"Now."

The boy nodded resolutely, jumping off of his seat and running after his mother.

"Mom!" He caught up to Relena and wrapped his arms around her legs. "Don't go, Mom. Stay and hang out with us."

Relena smiled down at him, ruffling his hair. "I'm fine, honey. I really am tired. We'll do something together later."

"Okay." Dex let go of her legs and held his hands upward. "Can I borrow the book?"

Relena gripped it tighter. "You're not going to burn it, are you?"

Dex stroked his chin like an old-time movie villain. "Hm. I hadn't thought of that…"

His mother gasped playfully.

"Just kidding." He flashed an angelic smile. "Can I see it? Please?"

"If you want it…" Relena lowered the book toward him. Dex grabbed it and ran back over to Heero.

"Tell me why you picked that puke green color for my room."

"That was your mother's idea…"

Relena smiled as she listened to the young boy's voice mingle with Heero's deep one as the two bent their heads together, reviewing Dex's short life history. As time went on she felt more at ease with their situation. There seemed to be less need to worry than when Dex was first born.

 _But still,_ a small voice rang in the back of her head. The voice sounded a bit like Heero's. _Can't be too careful…_

* * *

 _A/N: Happy Monday! This is an idea I've been playing around with for a while, so I hope you enjoy it! And just to clarify, this story is unrelated to my other current fic, Red Moon Glow, even if it seems like it could be a sequel... I assure you, it is not! Anyway, I hope you enjoy your week, wherever you are!_

 _\- RFP_


	2. Sous Chef

Relena hummed softly to herself as she rummaged through her kitchen pantry. The boys had gone outside, so she decided to get a start on dinner. She had stopped relying on a chef years ago. While her own recipe repertoire was small, she had discovered that she rather enjoyed cooking and found it relaxing, even after a long workday.

Searching around for the rest of the ingredients she would need, Relena decided to make a dumpling stew. She started washing and rinsing vegetables, and before long she had sliced up potatoes, carrots and celery and started boiling a pot of water with bouillon cubes. She had just started in on an onion when she felt a presence behind her. She addressed him without turning around.

"You could give a girl a heart attack that way, you know."

"Sorry," Heero said from behind her. "I'm used to treading lightly."

"Well, maybe you should wear a bell or something." Relena giggled as she resumed her chopping.

Heero chuckled as he moved over to the sink and washed his hands. "I'm not a cat," he said wryly. Then he came up beside her and opened his palm. "Let me."

Relena shrugged and stepped aside, turning her attention to her other ingredients. Heero was much more efficient at chopping than she was, anyway. She watched as he deftly diced up the onion.

"Actually, I was going to julienne…" she teased. He put the knife down and arched a brow.

"I suppose I should have asked what you were making, first." He shrugged. "Judging from the ingredients, though, it looks like soup."

"You're correct," Relena smiled, "except it's stew." Heero shrugged as if to say _same difference._

"Want this in the pot?"

"No, I was going to sautee first."

"I'll do it."

Relena watched as he wordlessly pulled open a nearby cabinet and brought down a skillet. "What's Dex up to?"

"Homework."

She gaped at Heero. "On a Friday?"

"I suggested he get a head start now, if he wants to enjoy the long weekend. Otherwise he'll end up waiting till Monday night, and you know how that goes."

"Ah, true." Relena couldn't help but smile. Dex could be a bit of a procrastinator at times, but he had a tendency to daydream. His mother chalked it up to his having a good imagination, so she wasn't overly concerned.

"I appreciate your trying to be the disciplinarian," she said to Heero.

"He needs it."

"He needs a friend, too, you know," she chided him.

Heero cocked his head to the side. "Agree to disagree."

Relena relented with a sigh. "Fine, you win."

"It's good for him to stick to a schedule with his homework," Heero continued. "He's developing his time management skills. But he'll figure it out. He's smart." He gave Relena a sidelong glance. "Like you."

"Hmm, I don't know..." She clucked her tongue as she dumped the potatoes into the boiling water. "I think he gets that more from his father..."

"Hn." Heero grunted and busied himself with his spatula.

"Do you ever get tired of pretending?"

Heero paused what he was doing to glance over at Relena. "It doesn't bother me. But then, I'm not the one who has to deal with the press." He turned his eyes back to the onion mixture, which was starting to brown.

"Sure, you do, at least some of the time." Relena frowned over the soup pot. "Like today."

"You were flustered." Heero lowered the gas on the stove. "You can't let them get to you."

"I know. I just hate getting the same questions all of the time. Not to mention the pitying stares…" Her voiced trailed off as she stirred the potatoes. "Sometimes I'd rather just tell the truth."

"Then why don't you?"

Relena pursed her lips. "I don't want to open Pandora's box. It's better this way. Better for Dex." She shot a glance over to Heero. "Right?" He caught her eye and shrugged.

"People are going to hound you no matter what, Relena. As long as you're in the public figure eye, people will continue to invade your personal life. And the less you tell them, the more they want to know."

She sighed again as she stirred the remaining vegetables into the pot. "I know. It's a never-ending cycle. It would be nice to break it."

"That's up to you." Heero looked at her sharply. "But I think you've been open enough. Your private life is no one else's business. You're doing a hell of a job raising Dex and that's all that matters- your happiness, and his." He frowned as his eyes continued to sift her. "Are you happy?"

"Yes." Relena set her ladle down on its holder and wiped her hands on her apron. "Of course, I'm happy. I love my job. Dex loves his school..." She turned her head and looked wistfully out the window. A tall row of pines obscured her view of the street; that and a high stone fence around the property helped to keep the paparazzi at bay. Of course, that, and the man standing next to her who, over the past twelve years, had grown into her best friend and confidante. The person she relied on most.

"But I admit…" She turned her eyes back to Heero, who was still watching her closely. "Sometimes I think a change would be nice. But what else could I do?"

"You can do anything you want," he said evenly.

"But then what would _you_ do?"

He shrugged. "Get another job."

"Oh?" Relena arched a brow before turning her attention to the meat she had started to braise on a griddle. "You mean you wouldn't continue to look after me if I no longer worked in politics?"

"Depends," Heero said flatly. "Would I still be on the payroll?"

"Ah, so _that's_ what this is all about," Relena teased, her eyes glimmering at him. "I should've known all along. Being the head of the Foreign Minister's security is a pretty cushy position; not to mention you're making top dollar now, all those years of experience under your belt…"

Heero's dark eyes glinted at her. "I've had worse jobs." Relena let out a staccato laugh. "In all seriousness, I could do private security work anywhere, or maybe get into software engineering. Or freelance as a hacker…" He smirked. "Or spy..."

"Don't you dare," Relena scolded, shaking her spoon at him. "I like having you around. So does Dex," she added.

"I like working with you. Always have." Heero paused to deposit the onions into the soup pot, brushing past Relena as he did so. She caught a whiff of his aftershave, a woodsy blend of pine and cinnamon, and couldn't help but inhale more deeply. Heero moved to set the skillet in the sink, and immediately started filling it up with hot water. "Maybe," he said with a smirk, "we can work something out."

"Well," Relena said as she added the cooked meat to the stew, "I'm always open to suggestions..."

"How about moving somewhere remote," Heero said as he started washing the dishes that had accumulated so far.

Relena's brow furrowed. "Like where?"

"Somewhere you can start over, where no one will give a damn about you who are."

"And?" Relena gawked at him as she stirred the stew. "Where does such a place exist? Besides in my deepest, darkest fantasies…"

"Mars."

She burst out laughing, but then realized Heero wasn't kidding. "No, Heero, we are not going to Mars." She shook her head vehemently.

"We?" He looked back at her and arched his brows. "Who said anything about 'we'? I'm going to become a spy, remember?"

Relena rolled her eyes at him. "Very funny."

"Actually, you probably would need security on Mars…" he said slowly. "Despite your best attempts at anonymity, you'd end up being made queen. Or president."

"No, thank you," Relena muttered as she began stirring the dumpling ingredients together in a bowl. "Can you hand me a cup of water while you're over there?"

Heero filled up a measuring cup and brought it over to her.

"Thank you." She smiled as she took the cup from him. "You're a good sous chef."

"So I've been told." He leaned closer to her and gently pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You're shedding in the food," he teased.

"Am not," Relena retorted as she started forming the dough.

"I beg to differ," Heero grunted. "I find those damn blond hairs everywhere…"

"Oh, really?" Relena scoffed playfully, another smile forming on her lips.

"On my clothes… in my car…"

"You poor thing," she interrupted, grinning up at him. "Now move, please."

Heero sidestepped Relena as she took her place back at the stove and started dropping balls of dough on top of the bubbling stew, then covered the soup pot with a lid.

"Smells good," he said approvingly.

"I'm glad." Relena turned to face him and smiled. "I like taking care of you." She reached up and tugged on his shirt collar. "You're always so busy taking care of me, it's nice to be able to return the favor."

"Yeah?" Heero's eyes sparked. "In that case, I can think of a few more favors…" He placed his hands on her hips and drew her closer to him. Relena responded by looping her arms around his neck.

"Is that so?" She stood on tiptoe to bring her face close to his, until they were nose to nose. "What kind of favors are we talking about?" Her eyes danced up at him.

Heero tightened his grip on her waist and gave her a lopsided smile. "I have a few ideas…"

"Hey, what's for dinner?" Relena whirled at the sound of Dex's voice. The eight-year-old stood gawking up at her and Heero. "Gross…"

Heero released Relena's waist and folded his arms over his chest. "You're supposed to be doing homework."

"I was." Dex frowned. "I smelled food."

"It's not ready yet," Heero said flatly.

"It will be ready soon, honey," Relena cut in, throwing a look at Heero. He frowned at her before relaxing his features, then turned back to Dex.

"Why don't you get back to it for now, and we'll call you when it's ready."

"Okay..." Dex's shoulders slumped, and Relena's heart flipped. She couldn't blame him for looking glum, stuck doing homework on a Friday. She was about to suggest that he save some of it for later, when Heero addressed him again.

"You _have_ started, right?" He continued to glare sternly at the boy.

"Yeah…" Dex scratched the back of his head. "I got stuck on a math problem, though." He raised hopeful eyes to Heero. "Can you help?"

Relena watched as Heero's face softened, and she couldn't help but smile at the exchange. "All right. I'll be right there; I'm just helping your mother."

Dex scrunched up his nose. "Looked like kissing to me."

Heero's eyes hardened. "You could help your mother, too. Go wash up and set the table; then we'll deal with your math problem." Dex straightened up under Heero's glare and marched over to the sink.

"Yes, Heero."

Relena shook her head at Heero as Dex washed his hands. "He's not a little soldier, you know," she said softly. Heero's eyes seemed to disagree at first, and he looked like he was fighting his own internal war. Relena reached up and began to lightly knead the tension in his shoulders. "Relax," she murmured.

Heero's dark eyes clouded, taking on a faraway expression for a moment. Relena knew that look well; it meant he was reliving some part of his past that he cared not to discuss. But almost as soon as it appeared, the dark cloud vanished, and Heero appeared to be more at ease.

"Sorry," he said to Relena, reaching up to caress her cheek before walking over to Dex, who was rummaging through the silverware drawer. Silently, Heero opened up the cabinet next to him and pulled down a few bowls. Dex glared up at him.

"I can do it," the boy said stubbornly.

"You can't reach," Heero observed.

"I would've gotten a stool," Dex retorted, taking spoons out of the drawer.

"Atta boy." Heero reached down and rumpled Dex's hair. The boy's blue eyes snapped up at him.

"Y'know, one day I'll be as tall as you - maybe even taller - and you won't be able to do that anymore." Dex folded his arms in defiance. Heero chuckled.

"That's years away, buddy." He started heading toward the dining room. "Don't forget the napkins," he instructed on his way out of the kitchen.

"Yes, Heero," Dex said obediently as he trudged behind him.

"Hey." Heero stopped in his tracks and swiveled back toward Dex. "You can drop the formalities; we're not in public, you know."

Dex rolled his eyes. "Yes, _Dad._ "

Heero's eyes tightened into another glare. "What did I say about the sarcasm?"

Dex shrugged and grinned up at him. "Hey, I learned it from you." Heero shot Relena a baffled look from across the room, and all she could do was laugh in response.

"You two are adorable."

"When am I ever sarcastic? You must be hearing things..." Heero frowned down at Dex as they headed out of the kitchen together.

"Sure. Whatever you say, Dad…"

"What did I just say?"

Relena sighed dramatically as she turned back to her stew. "Now, boys…"

* * *

 _A/N: Well, dear readers, I hope that answers some questions. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!_


	3. Red Wine and Red Velvet

_Obligatory disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, apart from in my wildest fantasies. But I do own Dex; he's all mine! And I heart him. I hope you do, too. Happy reading!_

* * *

After Dex and Heero had each devoured two helpings of Relena's stew, she went into the kitchen to retrieve the cake. Heero followed, bringing their dinner dishes with him. He gave Relena a look as she lit a single candle, in the shape of the number eight.

"He'll have a cake at his party on Sunday," Heero gently admonished her. "He doesn't need two."

Relena shrugged helplessly. "Oh, come on Heero; he can't _not_ have a cake on his birthday."

Heero shook his head at her. "And you say _I_ spoil him."

"You do, in your own way." Relena grinned and lifted up the small round cake. Heero reached out to take it from her. "I've got it," she said, pulling back from him slightly. "It's not like it's heavy…"

"You've done more than enough today." With that, Heero snatched the cake from her and carried it out to the dining room, bellowing out "Happy Birthday" in his surprisingly strong baritone. Relena giggled as she followed him, singing along. It was one of the few times she would ever hear Heero sing, and she loved it. She had tried many times, in vain, to get him to sing for her, but he outright refused to do it unless it was someone's birthday.

After they'd each had a slice of red velvet cake - Dex's favorite - Heero handed Dex his present. There would be more at his party, but both parents agreed to let him open one gift on his actual birthday. Relena filmed and took pictures on her phone as Dex tore into the wrapping paper.

He held up the large, rectangular box, which had an image of a robot printed on it, and looked at his parents in confusion. "What's this?"

Heero smiled with a hint of pride. "It's a Gundam."

"Well, yeah, I know that- I've seen them in history class." Heero and Relena exchanged looks over Dex's head. "But what do I do with it?"

"Build it," said Heero. "It's a model kit."

Dex's eyes lit up. "Can we build it now?"

"How's your homework coming?" Heero asked sternly.

"Almost done, I swear!" Dex turned imploring eyes to his father, his hands eagerly gripping the box.

"Don't swear," Heero said in mock scolding, unable to keep from smiling fondly at his son. "You can get started after you finish your math."

Relena sighed, her cheek resting in her palm. "Oh, honey, it's his birthday. Let him play."

Heero seemed to cave under Relena's gentle request. "All right," he relented.

Dex looked as if he might jump for joy, but to his credit, he remained seated calmly. He peered up at his mother and asked in the most polite tone he could muster, "May I please be excused?"

Relena clasped a hand to her heart. "Of course, sweetie."

"That's more like it," Heero muttered, giving Dex a grudging look of approval. "You may be excused."

Dex grinned and leapt up from his chair, then bounded into the living room, his new model kit in tow. Relena gave Heero a playful poke on the arm.

"He listens to you more," she teased, rolling her eyes upward. "I see how it is."

"He adores you," Heero said as he rose from his seat. He started to collect the remainder of the dishes, but Relena placed her hand on his arm to halt him.

"I've got this," she said firmly. "Go play with your son."

"This will take me all of two seconds," Heero said in an equally firm tone, letting Relena know he wasn't about to take 'no' for an answer. "Why don't you crack open a bottle of wine and relax? Then later, I'll join you."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Relena smiled up at him gratefully. Heero bent down and brushed a kiss to her forehead.

"I mean it," he murmured against her hair. "No work. Go put your feet up for a few hours."

"I will," Relena promised, but then she frowned. "But we do need to talk about the party…"

"We can talk about that later, too," said Heero. "We have all day tomorrow to worry about it. Although I don't think Dex needs - or wants - a party." His gaze wandered over to where their son sat contentedly on the living room floor, pulling various plastic parts out of the box, already poring over the instructions, his brows knit together in concentration. "All he wants is for his birthday is to go to the shooting range. Something I could accomplish easily, while you stay home and rest. No fuss, no cleanup." Heero squared his shoulders, looking proud of his solution. "No unwanted guests." He turned and headed into the kitchen with the dishes.

Relena was nonplussed. "Yes, he does need a party," she said as she stood and followed after Heero. Once in the kitchen she retrieved a bottle of pinot noir from a rack on the counter, and set about searching for their corkscrew. "It's good for him to socialize," she added, triumphantly locating the the corkscrew in the first drawer she opened. The thing usually had a way of traveling from its designated location.

"And," Relena added, wagging the corkscrew in Heero's direction, "some of those 'unwanted guests' you speak of are our friends..."

Heero arched a brow. "But most of them are parents from that snobby school. And you don't even like them."

Relena sighed as she maneuvered the corkscrew. "I just want Dex to have some friends in his grade. Is that so wrong?"

"No, but you can't force it," Heero murmured. "He makes friends when he wants to."

"I know." Relena poured herself a glass of wine. "I worry about him, though. He's quiet, like you."

Heero blinked at her. "You think that's a bad thing?"

"Not really." She paused to take a sip. "I just don't want him to continue to grow up in isolation, you know? Sometimes it feels like we live in a fishbowl…"

Heero frowned. "That's just the way it is, Relena. His mom is a celebrity."

Relena's eyes rolled as she continued to sip. "Mm-hmm…"

"Dex didn't choose this life." Heero took a step closer to Relena, reaching up to caress her cheek. "But it's our duty to shield him as much as possible. Unfortunately, that means we can't exactly give him a normal childhood."

"No, I know." Relena looked up at Heero sadly. "Which is why I can't help but think of making a career change…"

"That's up to you." He closed the short distance between them and pulled Relena into his arms. She snuggled her face into his broad chest. His hand came up to stroke to the top of her head. "And you know I'll support whatever decision you make."

"That's something we should decide together," Relena said softly against his shirt.

"Yeah," Heero murmured as he threaded his fingers through her hair. "But you're the boss."

"Oh, no you don't…" Relena raised her head and gave him a leveling gaze. "We're partners, Heero Yuy."

"Hn." He cupped her face and bent his head toward her. "If you insist…" He closed his eyes as he covered her mouth with his.

"You guys are kissing again?" Dex's voice, seeped in annoyance, announced his presence from the doorway. "Gross."

Heero smirked at Dex over his shoulder. "How do you think you got here?"

The boy's face contorted in utter disgust. "Ew…"

Relena laughed as she returned to her wine. "Why don't you two go get started on that Gundam? I'll be upstairs if you need me." With that, she swept out of the room, taking her wine glass with her. She gave Heero a parting glance that said she expected to see him upstairs later; he returned the amorous look with one of his own.

* * *

 _"With this ring, I thee wed."_

 _"With this ring, I_ thee _wed."_

Relena dabbed her eyes with a tissue as the ridiculously attractive couple onscreen sealed their wedding vows with a passionate kiss. She paused the movie when the bedroom door opened, and Heero stepped into the room. Blessedly, he was armed with another bottle of wine. Relena beamed at him and patted the empty space beside her on the king-sized bed. Heero immediately complied with her request and sidled up next to her.

He frowned when she saw what she was watching. "This again?"

Relena sighed dreamily. "I can't help it; I just love this part…"

Heero rolled his eyes as he refilled Relena's wine glass, then poured one for himself. Relena unpaused the movie, and the sound of sweeping violins filled the room as the actors continued to devour one another's faces with reckless abandon. Heero glowered at the TV screen.

"You know these films give you unrealistic expectations." Relena shot him a look over her glass.

"Can't a girl dream?"

"That dream looks expensive."

"We could afford a big, fancy wedding, if we wanted." She looked at him pointedly.

"If _you_ wanted," Heero retorted. "I'm happy to skip it."

"I know you are." Relena rolled her eyes at him. "But wouldn't it still be nice to get all dressed up and seal the deal in front of everyone we know?"

Heero locked his gaze on her. "I sealed the deal with you a long time ago."

"I know, and it was very romantic." Relena batted her eyes at him. "But what about an _actual_ wedding?" She spread her hands, one of them still clutching her wine glass. "It's coming up on ten years, next month. Maybe we could renew our vows?"

"Hn." Heero paused to sip his wine. "I suppose we could. I was thinking we could take a vacation, though. Someplace warm."

Relena smiled. "Like a second honeymoon? That does sound nice..." Her face fell. "But it would be suicide to travel on Christmas Eve…"

Heero shrugged. "It sounds like your mother wants us to come to Japan for the holidays, anyway. Dex wants to go, too. He was asking me earlier about the big Gundam statue…"

"Oh, no…" Relena clutched her chest dramatically. "You've created a monster."

"Yeah." Heero chuckled, and she could tell he wasn't the least bit sorry. "Anyway, we don't have to celebrate our anniversary on the actual day."

Relena pouted. "But I like when we do."

"Well, we still can, then." Heero finished his wine and set the empty glass on his bedside table. "Maybe we can leave Dex at Mareen's after a couple days, and go on our trip. He loves it there, anyway."

"Hmm…" Relena tapped her chin in consideration. "Maybe."

Heero shrugged. "Well, think about it. Regardless, I think you're going to like your gift this year." He gave her a smug smile.

"Oh, really? Which one, my anniversary or Christmas gift?" Relena arched her brow. She had given Heero a hard time in the past about combining presents.

"Both. I promise to keep them separate this year. Especially since it's our first big milestone anniversary, or whatever." Relena giggled at Heero's earnest expression.

"I have trained you well."

"Uh-huh." He smirked.

Relena sighed and stretched, wriggling her toes into her throw blanket. "But, then, I should've known what I was getting into, getting married on Christmas Eve," she teased. "At least it makes our anniversary easy to remember, though. You haven't forgotten yet."

Heero took Relena's wine glass from her and set it aside before pulling her tightly against him.

"How could I forget?" he breathed, planting a soft kiss to her neck. "That's when everything started..."

Relena closed her eyes as he kissed her, and she thought back to that first Christmas Eve together. A.C. 196. The now infamous Mariemaia Incident, the failed attempt at a coup to overthrow the Earth Sphere United Nation. The night Heero saved Relena from her captors, and ended up in her arms. Their love blossomed naturally from there, to the point where, two years later, eloping at eighteen felt seemed like a perfectly logical thing to do. And even though it was unexpected, no one who knew them well was all that surprised.

Both agreed to keep their union a secret from the rest of the world, however. It was easy enough at first; with Heero continuing to act as her bodyguard, they had a go-to excuse to spend all of their time together. Their easy arrangement was complicated by Dex's arrival, two years later. But after much debate, Relena and Heero decided against publicly declaring their relationship, or even commenting on Dex's existence, leaving the media free to fill in the blanks. And did they ever. Sometimes the couple would laugh over the latest tabloid speculation on who Dex's father might be. Of course, Heero himself came up as a possibility, but the press didn't know him as anything besides Relena's bodyguard; not enough to piece together a profile on him. All of their friends or "sources close" to Relena and Heero - including his fellow former Gundam pilots and Preventers - all kept a tight lid on the subject.

And while Heero had been more than willing to come forward, time and again Relena talked him out of it. She wanted him to be able to enjoy his privacy, his freedom. They had worked so hard for it. She was more than adept at handling the media circus on her own.

At least, most of the time.

"You know," Relena mused as their lips parted, and Heero focused on unbuttoning her blouse, "the paparazzi will have a field day if we do take a vacation together, without Dex."

"So?" Heero pushed the open blouse off of Relena's shoulders and pulled it down her arms. "You can say you're taking a solo trip, can't you?"

"Right, and let the press paint me as a terrible mother?" Relena sighed deeply as Heero worked to unclasp her bra.

"You worry too much." Heero gave her a sharp look before removing her lingerie, then turned his attention to her skirt.

"One of us has to," she retorted. "Aren't you always saying that we can't be too careful?"

Heero pulled his own shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. "I know." His pants came next, and after he'd discarded them, he returned to Relena, snaking his arms around her waist. "I'm being selfish. Maybe I'm not thinking clearly." He lifted a hand to trace her jawline, his cobalt eyes gleaming at her. "But, then... I'd like some alone time with my wife."

Relena smiled lovingly at him and rested her hands on his bare chest. "Then we may just have to come out with it, already. What's the worst that could happen?"

Heero was playing with her hair, his hands busily undoing her ponytail. "I'll do whatever you want," he grunted. "But, for now, let's just…"

Relena's eyes fluttered closed as she wrapped herself around her husband, banishing all frantic thoughts from her mind.

* * *

 _A/N: There you go! I hope this chapter answers some of your burning questions, and explains why I have chosen to let this story unfold the way it has. Subtlety is the name of the game here. This story is providing me some much-needed relief from all the drama and action in_ Red Moon Glow _! I hope you are enjoying this so far. Thank you so much to those of you who continue to read and review! Your kind words really keep me going. Look for weekly updates on this one, most likely on Fridays. :)_

 _Happy Friday, to all of you, and happy snow day to my fellow East Coasters!_

 _\- RFP_


	4. Two Princes

_A/N: Ask, and you shall receive! Thank you so much to the dedicated followers of this story! I hope you enjoy this update! Can we call this Monday Funday?_

 _\- RFP_

* * *

Saturday morning, after whipping up a breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and fruit, Relena shooed Heero and Dex out of the house so she could have the place to herself. She needed to clean the house top to bottom before Sunday's party. Even Heero had suggested they hire a cleaning crew, but cleaning was one task Relena felt confident in tackling herself. Besides, they had already hired a caterer and magician, although she hadn't told Heero about the latter, yet. He was still reeling from last year's live animal demonstration, so that was off the list of potential party entertainment. So was the balloon animal-making clown, but then Dex would have vetoed that; he had declared, after his rather traumatizing fourth birthday party, that he absolutely hated clowns, and Relena didn't want him to develop a complex.

Heero and Dex were going over to Uncle Milliardo's and Aunt Noin's, with Heero promising Relena that a trip to the shooting range would remain off the day's agenda. All kidding aside, both parents knew that it wasn't the sort of place Heero should be seen with Dex in public; not only would it arouse suspicion about the boy's true parentage, but then Relena would be plagued with endless "bad mother" headlines.

And so father and son departed for a play date with Dex's twin cousins, Lena and Lucca, and Relena hoped that all the press would see was a dutiful bodyguard escorting the Foreign Minister's son, while the boy's doting mother prepared for the eight-year-old's birthday party. Regardless of what the media thought, both Heero and Relena knew Dex would have a good time at his aunt and uncle's house. Their son got along well with his two cousins, even though they were two years younger than him. Dex was so introverted in school, he struggled to make friends; with his cousins, though, he was much more assertive, and seemed to relish his big brother role.

Relena had been ecstatic when, a few years back, Milliardo and Noin decided to buy a house in Brussels, not far from the home she shared with Heero. It made sense for all of them to live on the outskirts of the city, only a short commute from the ESUN and Preventers headquarters. Both Noin and Milliardo worked for the government's intelligence agency, the Preventers. Heero also took on occasional assignments, but only if Une, as the Preventers commander, deemed them absolutely necessary. And then he was adamant about having several other Preventer agents watch over Relena and Dex in his stead. But nowadays, these assignments were becoming more seldom. Relena was grateful for that; neither she nor Dex liked it when Heero was away. They had both become accustomed to having him around all the time.

In fact, Relena couldn't think of a better scenario than working alongside her husband every day. Of course, they got along for obvious reasons, but they also simply worked well together. They knew how to read each other and, most of the time, didn't need words to communicate; a single look between them could signal so much. Relena couldn't imagine sharing that kind of connection with another soul in the universe. Whenever Heero was away and she was left with one of his substitutes, Relena found herself frustrated by the arduous need to explain herself out loud. She would miss Heero, her best friend, partner _and_ mind reader.

Which was why the thought of either of them changing jobs, changing their lifestyle, was almost unfathomable.

Relena pondered all of these things as she vacuumed, dusted and sanitized every surface of the house. The work took her hours to complete, but she blasted music the entire time and enjoyed singing along, loudly. Something she rarely did when the boys were home, lest they complain about her supposed lack of singing talent.

After a few more hours, the house was all but spotless, and Relena stopped to admire her handiwork. Heero texted that he would be bringing takeout home for dinner, so she allowed herself to relax with a glass of wine. She didn't usually indulge on a daily basis, but it was the weekend, and she had worked hard all week on top of spending the better part of Saturday cleaning. She was satisfied with her work and looking forward to tomorrow's party.

Relena had her feet propped up in her favorite recliner and was flipping aimlessly through TV channels when Heero and Dex came home.

"Hey, baby," came the deep, reassuring baritone. Relena glanced up and smiled at her husband, clad in all black. He took off his cap and sunglasses - items that helped conceal his resemblance to Dex - and bent down to kiss her on the lips. He was holding a large paper bag of what smelled like Asian food. Knowing Heero, he'd gone for sushi, but some of the food was hot as well. Dex followed behind Heero, carrying a few smaller paper bags.

"Want to just eat out here?" Relena gestured to the coffee table. The boys agreed and sat down on the floor, then opened up the bags and starting pulling out various containers, sending the food's warm aroma wafting in the air. Relena rose to retrieve plates and chopsticks from the kitchen. They had their own sets at home and preferred them to the flimsy ones that came with takeout. Relena came back in the living room to see a spread of makimono, miso soup, steamed vegetables, rice and - Dex's favorite - crab rangoon. In fact, it was the only item from any Asian restaurant they'd go to that he actually liked. Heero would point out with irritation that it wasn't a true Asian dish; Relena knew he wanted Dex to learn more about that part of his heritage. But, like most kids, Dex was still a picky eater.

Today, though, he was branching out a little, trying rice with soy sauce. Relena watched with amusement as Heero tried to get their son to eat some vegetables.

"Just try a few," Heero growled impatiently as Dex grimaced.

"I don't like them. They're gross."

"Find the ones that are the least repulsive to you, then."

Relena smiled and tucked into her own plate of food. "Did you have a nice time with your cousins, sweetie?"

"Yep." Dex nodded but didn't offer up any more information. Relena glanced over at Heero, who shrugged.

"They played video games."

"Of course." Relena rolled her eyes playfully. "How is everyone?"

"Good," Heero said as he picked up a sushi roll with his chopsticks. "Wondering where you were. Your brother gave me a hard time for letting you stay home and clean when we could have just hired someone." He gave her a pointed look, holding his sushi up mid-air. Relena waved a hand dismissively.

"Milliardo never wants to see me doing any work." She didn't need to add it was leftover snobbery from their royal upbringing, which Relena barely remembered, anyway. "He doesn't realize I enjoy the 'me time.'"

"Well, the house looks good, babe." Heero glanced around approvingly before nudging their son in the elbow. "Right, Dex?"

"Yeah, Mom." He looked at her with those same blue eyes as his father, and Relena got the feeling their son would grow up to be a heartbreaker.

"Your father has taught you well," she said with a smile. Dex looked at her blankly before returning his attention to his plate, where he had made mess swirling his mixed vegetables around in the soy sauce.

Heero's eyes rolled. "I do my best."

Relena beamed at him. "You're a wonderful father." Heero shrugged and continued eating his sushi, but her heart warmed as she looked at him, thinking of how far they had come. Never would she have guessed, back when they were teenagers grappling with the harsh realities of war, gradually coming together after starting out on opposing sides, that they would fall deeply in love and build a life together. But they did. Relena knew no matter what they ended up doing next, even if they radically changed their jobs and lifestyle, their little family would always be secure with Heero at the helm. She trusted him with her life, from the mundane day to day tasks to her deepest desires.

And one of them struck her just then, as she looked at her impossibly handsome husband, and let out a dreamy sigh. He caught her eye and frowned.

"What?" He glowered. Relena arched a brow.

"What do you mean, 'what'?"

"I know that look," he said accusingly. But Relena could see the teasing glint in his eye. "The answer is no."

"What look?" Dex glanced up from his plate, also frowning.

"That look your mother gets when she wants something," Heero muttered.

"What do you want?" Dex asked her, his eyes curious.

Relena sank her cheek into her palm. "Another baby."

Dex's brows shot up in alarm. "What for?"

"So you could have a sibling, and I could get to relive your early childhood all over again." She grinned at her son, who screwed up his face.

"Babies are gross."

"Agreed." Heero smirked at Dex. "You most of all."

"Heero!" Relena gasped, giving him a playful swat on the arm. "Your father doesn't mean that," she said to Dex, who just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, right. All babies are gross."

"You don't want a little brother or sister?" Relena spread her hands.

"Not really," Dex said flatly. "I have Lena and Lucca. That's enough." He glanced around the living room before looking back up at his mother. "I like having the house to myself."

Heero and Relena exchanged looks over Dex's head.

"This is your fault," Relena hissed.

"What?"

"That he's such an introvert," Relena sighed. Heero just shrugged.

"Who cares? He's content."

"I'm right _here_ ," Dex reminded them with a stony glare. Relena shook her head back and forth.

"You'll change your mind as soon as the baby arrives." Her eyes shone as she reached for her wine glass. "You'll fall in love and want to look over him or her." Heero frowned at her.

"You're not… " He pointed to her glass. Relena burst out laughing.

"Of course not! Would I be drinking if I were? Oh, honestly, Heero." She rolled her eyes and took a generous sip.

Dex gaped up at both of them. "If Mom has a baby, can I get a puppy?"

Relena started to nod her head 'yes,' but Heero's glare stopped her. She pouted.

"You're no fun," she said behind her wine glass.

"Yeah, _Heero,_ " Dex retorted. Heero turned his glare on him. "Uh, Dad." Dex lowered his eyes and went back to picking at his food. "Sorry."

"You two," Heero said flatly, "are going to be the death of me." Relena sputtered out a giggle. Dex glanced up at his mother, and she smiled conspiratorially.

"What kind of puppy do you want, honey?"

Dex's face spread into a grin. "I like labs. Or golden retrievers."

"Oh, both good choices." Relena clapped her hands. "I had a sheep dog growing up. He-"

"If we're getting anything," Heero interrupted, "it's going to be a German shepherd. End of story." He set down his plate with an authoritative glare, but Relena knew that would be far from the final word on the subject. She cackled wickedly.

"We'll see about that."

Heero grunted something under his breath as he stood and gathered up their empty plates, and stormed off toward the kitchen. Dex squirmed on his seat cushion.

"Mom?" he asked quietly, turning plaintive eyes up to her. "Did I get a dog for my birthday?" Relena's heart flipped. She wanted to say 'yes,' but there was no dog to speak of. Yet.

"No, honey. Not this year." She bent down and ruffled Dex's hair. "But Christmas is coming…"

Dex's eyes gleamed. Relena laughed and pulled him in for a hug. There was nothing she wouldn't do for her little boy. And she knew, deep down, Heero felt the same.

* * *

Later that night, Relena was relaxing in bed after a heavenly massage, courtesy of her husband. She rolled over in bed to face him and smiled.

"You spoil me," she said, leaning in for a kiss. He smirked and snatched her waist, pulling her tightly against his bare chest.

"My motives are purely selfish," he murmured as he pressed his lips to her neck, and started trailing kisses along her collarbone. Relena sighed and closed her eyes, instantly yielding to his touch.

"Are you ready for the party?" she asked as he continued to plant kisses down her abdomen. Heero's eyes snapped up to hers.

"I don't want to talk about the party right now." He busied himself removing her underwear.

"Fine," Relena said, reaching down to stroke his wavy hair. "But the catering team and the entertainment will be here bright and early, so we'd better be well-rested."

"The catering _team_?" Heero sat up, frowning. "And what _entertainment_?"

"Oh, right." Relena's eyes went upward and she tapped her finger to her chin. "I forgot to mention the magician."

Heero's features etched into a scowl. "Have you vetted this person?"

"Yes." Relena nodded, but Heero looked doubtful. He climbed out of bed, scowling, and pulled on his sweat pants. She frowned at his sudden departure. "Where are you going?"

"To get more information."

Relena sighed and fell back against the pillows. "Really, Heero? Right _now_?"

His eyes flashed at her as he finished dressing. "Can't be too careful." With that, he opened the door and swept out of the room. Relena moaned into her pillow.

"Gee, honey, thanks for letting _me_ handle things, for once." She sat up, fluffed her pillow, and laid back down, staring up at the ceiling in frustration. Several minutes ticked by and she knew sleep was impossible. She kicked off the covers, reached for her robe and decided to go check on Dex, something she found herself doing less and less these days, as he'd started to complain that she still babied him.

"Ugh. Men," she muttered to herself as she started down the hall. Of course, she cherished all of the men in her life, especially these two. And even though they drove her crazy at times, she wouldn't mind having one more, or a daughter who looked like her.

Relena's frown faded away, her face lighting up at the thought of a blonde, blue-eyed baby girl. She would have the most adorable baby clothes, she decided. And a _pink_ nursery. Relena grinned unabashedly. And, most importantly, she would have Heero wrapped around her chubby little finger.

Relena quietly pushed open the door to Dex's room. His lights were off, but a soft glow emanating from the dome of blankets in the middle of his bed indicated that he was wide awake. She smiled as she padded over to his bed.

"Knock, knock," she said softly before lifting up the edge of his makeshift tent. Dex looked up at guiltily from the book and flashlight in his lap.

"I couldn't sleep," he said.

"Me, neither." Relena sat down beside him and glanced at the book. "What are you reading?"

Dex held it up. The cover depicted Gundams - of course - with the title _A History of Mobile Suit Warfare_ in bright red font.

"Dad got it for me."

"I see." Relena picked it up and looked it over. "How is it?"

Dex shrugged. "Interesting, so far. It's got a lot of words, though." Relena chuckled as she flipped through the pages. Dex had graduated from picture books long ago, but this was still advanced for an eight-year-old.

"I like reading historical non-fiction, too," Relena said proudly. Dex nodded his agreement. "What have you learned so far?"

"There were a lot of battles," Dex said in a hushed tone. "Dad fought, too, didn't he? As a mobile suit pilot?"

Relena nodded slowly. She and Heero had agreed long ago to keep things vague, at least until Dex was a little older.

"When?" Dex asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

"In the early to late nineties."

His face brightened. "Did he ever pilot a Gundam?" Relena was taken aback.

"Have you asked him?"

"No." Dex's eyes glittered. "But I can tell."

He picked up the Gundam model he and Heero had built the day before. Relena realized it was a mini-replica of Wing.

"Dad was annoyed he couldn't change this into 'bird mode,'" Dex explained, demonstrating as he tried to move the model's stiff plastic arms and legs. "Only the pilot would know something like that."

"Or a technician," Relena offered a little too quickly. Dex shook his head.

"The Gundam pilots were secretive. They didn't like anyone else working on their mobile suits."

Relena's eyes widened at her son's astute observations. But, then, given his parentage, should she even be surprised?

"If Dad piloted Wing…" Dex set down his Gundam and looked back up at his mother. "Then he must have piloted Zero." Relena's eyes widened.

"Dex…"

"And _that_ means he saved the whole world." Dex's eyes shone. "That's why you married him, right? 'Cause you were queen of the world. So you had to, to keep the peace."

Relena's initial shock subsided, and she laughed.

"That's not _exactly_ what happened. Your father and I met during the war and became... friends. Then we fell in love. We were very young. But we didn't have to get married; we wanted to."

Dex scrunched up his nose. "Yeah, yeah. I wanna hear more about the Gundams."

Relena sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "You'll have to ask your father about that, but don't expect him to say much." She gave Dex a hard look. "I know this is difficult, sweetie, but we have to keep these things quiet."

"I know." Dex lowered his eyes and twisted the bed sheet with his fingers. "But it's not fair. I want more people to know about him. People know about you," he pointed out. "Everyone at school says you're the most important woman in the world."

Relena smiled before kissing the top of his head. "That's quite an exaggeration, but… sweet."

"Dad says the same thing."

"Of course he does," she said, her smile widening.

Dex shifted, his frown returning. "Mom… will Dad ever fight again?"

Relena's eyes glimmered. "He fights every day to keep our family, and the rest of the world, safe. We both do."

Her son blinked up at her impatiently. "You know what I mean. Like in a Gundam."

"No, sweetie." Relena shook her head firmly. "The Gundams are all gone. You know that." Dex looked disappointed.

"Could we have one anyway? I bet it'd be fun to build. Dad would love it." Relena rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure he would."

"We could just keep it in the yard," Dex said excitedly. "It would scare away intruders. Then Dad wouldn't have to work so hard."

Relena gave in to her laughter, hugging Dex tightly.

"I'm serious, Mom," he mumbled into her robe.

"That's an… interesting idea. But right now, you need to get some sleep," she said. "You've got a big day tomorrow."

"Yeah." Dex sighed and flopped against his pillows. Relena picked up his book and flashlight.

"You can read more tomorrow, okay?" She leaned down and brushed a kiss to his forehead. "Sleep well, my little prince."

Dex glowered up at her. "I thought you weren't a queen anymore? So that means I'm not a prince."

Relena gazed down at him fondly. "Your father has always been my prince, so that makes you one, too."

" _Blech."_ Dex stuck out his tongue in protest. "No more mushy stuff, Mom. Please." She rolled her eyes playfully at her son's complaint.

"Okay, okay. Goodnight, sweetheart."

Dex yawned sleepily. "'Night, Mom."

She stood up and placed his book and flashlight on his bookshelf before tiptoeing out of the room, hoping he wouldn't have any further trouble falling asleep. She knew the party would be a little crowded for his tastes and hoped he wouldn't find it overstimulating. She desperately wanted her son to make new friends. If his anti-social father could form lasting friendships, then so could Dex.

When Relena returned to her bedroom, she found her husband to be in a much better mood than he had been when he'd left.

"What are so happy about?" she asked warily. He flashed her a smile from the bed.

"I took care of that little problem from earlier."

"What problem?"

Heero almost startled her with his deep, booming laugh. Relena folded her arms over her chest and glared down at him.

"Heero… what did you do?"

"Nothing." His smirk betrayed him. Relena shot him a warning look as her foot tapped against the floor.

"If you messed with this party in any way…"

Heero ceased his laughter, but his eyes still glittered. "I may have altered the guest list, slightly."

Relena shook her head and sighed. "I just want Dex to have a nice time, okay?" She frowned at him as she removed her robe and slipped under the covers. "And I want _you_ to stay out of trouble."

Heero's eyes went wide, and he almost looked innocent. Almost. "I'm just doing my job, babe."

"Uh-huh." Relena turned her back to him and flipped off the light switch. Heero's arms snaked around her middle, pulling her back against his chest.

"You're not mad, are you?" He kissed her neck, his breath tickling her ear.

"Not yet," she muttered. Heero just laughed again, and Relena knew that whatever it was, she wouldn't be able to fight him on it. Not when he laughed like that. It sent her heart soaring, and she knew this was one battle she was happy to lose.

Relena smiled and turned her head to kiss her husband on the lips.

"Behave," she whispered in mock scolding. She felt Heero's chest rumble as more laughter escaped, and she couldn't help but giggle at how absurd he was being. She twisted around in his arms so that they were face to face, pressed up against each other. His eyes glinted at her in the moonlight before he covered her mouth with his and kissed her with passion.


	5. In Rose

The house was a bustle of activity the morning of the party, with the catering team hard at work in the kitchen, the gourmet bakers carefully carrying Dex's massive birthday cake into the dining room, where servers were setting up tables and covering them with linens to hold the buffet lunch for guests to enjoy later. Relena was at the center of it all, brimming with excitement.

It pained her to know that the person the party was for was not as excited; after breakfast, Dex had trudged back upstairs to his bedroom. Heero was on his way to do another security sweep of the house and grounds when Relena grabbed him by the elbow.

"Can you go check on Dex, please?" Heero nodded knowingly and headed up the stairs. Relena released a sigh and was turning toward the kitchen to see how the caterers were doing when the front doorbell buzzed. Normally Heero would be the one to answer, but he had already slipped upstairs. Relena decided to make an exception and answer it herself; besides, if whoever it was had gotten past the front gate, that meant they already had the access code Heero had set up for the party staff and guests.

She peered through the peephole and saw a familiar face. One who had not been on the original guest list. But, then, Heero _had_ said he'd made some adjustments. Forcing a friendly smile onto her face, Relena opened the door.

Then her mouth dropped.

She hadn't been all that surprised to see Trowa Barton's face on the other side of the door. But opening the door fully revealed that he was dressed in his clown costume from his circus performances, only he'd also added a big, curly, fire engine red wig and matching, comically large shoes.

"What on Earth-"

"Hello, Relena." Trowa didn't seem to pick up on her consternation as he swept into a low bow. "It's good to see you."

Relena worked to ease her stunned expression. "I- it's good to see you, too, Trowa. Welcome." She stepped back and motioned for him to enter the house, and Trowa obediently stepped into the foyer. "So…" She tilted her head at him, eyeing him up and down. "What's with the outfit?"

Trowa's one visible eye twinkled, his other eye obscured by his long bangs underneath his floppy wig. He looked, in a word, ridiculous. "This is a kid's party, right? I was told to provide the entertainment."

Relena gaped at him. "By who?"

"Your husband."

She gave a little gasp and whirled around. "Not so loud," she whispered, although Trowa was hardly what she could call "loud." His eye rolled upward.

"No offense, Relena, but I doubt there's a soul left on Earth - or the colonies, for that matter - who doesn't know who your husband is by now."

Relena was sputtering a response when Trowa turned to one of the servers walking past them.

"Excuse me, but have you seen the man of the house anywhere?"

The young man looked a bit taken aback but nodded. "I think I saw him go upstairs..." He glanced sheepishly at Relena before darting off toward the kitchen. Trowa looked smug.

"See?"

Relena planted her hands at her hips and glared up at him. "That doesn't prove anything, you know. Your description was rather vague; 'man of the house' and 'husband' aren't necessarily one and the same." Trowa rolled his eye again.

"The implication was clear."

Relena sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Okay, fine. Back to this whole 'entertainment' thing… Are you replacing the magician I hired?"

Trowa gave a shrug. "I guess. You'd have to ask your husband about that." Relena clenched her jaw.

"Fine," she said testily, "I will. There's just one problem, though…"

"What?"

"Dex hates clowns."

Trowa frowned and scratched his chin. "Does he? You've brought him to the circus before, and he didn't seem to have a problem."

"Yes, but you weren't in full… clown attire," Relena explained, splaying her hands. "This may send him over the edge."

"I see." Trowa's frown deepened. "You want me to try some magic tricks instead?"

Relena brightened. "You know some?"

"Not really, but I can fake it." Trowa shrugged again. "A bunch of kids won't know any better."

"Dex is _eight_ ," Relena said pointedly. "And smart. He's not going to fall for that."

"Damn," Trowa muttered. "Well, I guess if I can't be of any help here, I'd better just leave…" He turned back toward the door, but Relena reached out and gripped his bicep.

"Not so fast," she hissed. "Heero fired my entertainer. We need someone, and it's too late to find a replacement now." She dropped Trowa's arm, defeated. "This party's going to be a disaster…"

Trowa placed a hand on Relena's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze. "Don't panic. I'll think of something. If nothing else, I could at least do my aerial routine."

Relena's eyes widened. "Where?" She gestured around the open concept layout which, to be fair, had a high ceiling, but she still didn't love the idea of Trowa performing death-defying stunts in her living room.

"I suppose we could take it outside. It's not that cold out."

"I suppose." Relena sighed her agreement. "Well, it will have to do. I can't think of anything else right now." She peered over at Trowa, assessing his outfit. "Could you at least lose the wig?"

"Sure." Trowa yanked the wig off his head and stuffed it in one of the pockets of his ballooning pants. "Don't worry, Relena…" One green eye glittered at her. "I promise to give you a show unlike anything you have ever seen."

Relena arched a brow, skeptical. "Please don't blow anything up."

Trowa chuckled darkly. "Not necessary."

"Right…" She smiled weakly up at Trowa. "Well, feel free to set up… wherever, for now. Please make yourself at home." Trowa nodded and Relena scurried off to the kitchen.

 _Dear God, help me…_

* * *

By early afternoon, the party was in full swing. The downstairs was full of guests, many children from Dex's school, along with their parents, and everyone seemed to be having a good time mingling and eating from the buffet. It was still early, but Relena felt that she could safely declare the party a success.

Trowa had managed to surprise her. He'd strung up his tightrope between trees in the backyard and kept the children captivated for hours, walking and riding a unicycle across the rope and performing jaw-dropping jumps and twists in the air. Relena had to admit, she was impressed. And relieved.

Even Dex was completely transfixed, watching Trowa. Relena hadn't seen him socializing much with his peers, besides his twin cousins, but was grateful he at least seemed to be enjoying the party. She made a mental note to send Trowa a nice 'thank you' gift later.

Relena stayed in the backyard with Dex and the other kids, and several of their parents for a while, melting away when she saw that Heero had also come outside. She caught his eye and flashed him a brief grin before heading toward the French doors to go back inside. Heero gave her a single nod from across the yard before his gaze landed on Dex.

Despite what Trowa said, the couple was still being cautious. They both felt it was necessary and had their reasons.

 _But if we have another baby…_ Relena had always wondered what they would do if she got pregnant again. They would have to come out with it then, wouldn't they? Or would they let the public assume Relena had gotten knocked up by some random guy? She didn't like the thought, and knew Heero didn't, either. At the very least, her approval numbers would take a dip. Much as she hated pandering to people, Relena knew it was necessary to keep her reputation intact. It allowed her a better position for bargaining and advocating for the people who relied on her.

 _But what happens if we tell the truth?_ As Heero always said, there were simply too many variables. No matter what, they needed to put Dex's safety first. Pushing down her longing for a second child, at least for the moment, Relena made the rounds in the living room, stopping to chat with her guests. She could easily play the part of the consummate hostess, even as her thoughts wandered elsewhere.

One of the servers milling about approached her with a tray of champagne flutes, and she eagerly accepted one. The party was winding down, so she felt it was acceptable to have a drink. She took a grateful sip - it tasted like sweet, sweet victory - and glanced about the room. Her gaze landed on an old friend, who was standing and chatting with two of the other moms.

Her blonde, impeccably-dressed friend spotted Relena and waved her over to join them.

"Relena, darling, you've really outdone yourself," Dorothy Catalonia purred, greeting Relena with a peck on the cheek. "This party is outstanding." Dorothy clinked her wine glass with Relena's in approval. The other women clustered around them murmured in agreement.

"Of course, now Livvie is going to expect I hire Trowa for _her_ party, too," Dorothy said wryly. Relena smiled. She had seen Dorothy's blonde and blue-eyed four-year-old, Olivia, watching Trowa with stars in her eyes.

"Well, then, perhaps Trowa will end up launching a side business," Relena joked. The other women tittered as if it she'd said something much funnier. Dorothy just shrugged.

"Who knows… He's a natural with children, though," she observed. "It's a wonder he hasn't settled down yet…"

"A shame," a brunette named Sheina agreed. "He's so handsome, too. What a waste."

"Ugh, I know, right?" A blonde woman, Camille, who was wearing a dangerously low-cut leopard print wrap dress, took a hearty gulp of her champagne. "I mean, just _look_ at those muscles. My God…" She clutched at her chest, her dark eyes gleaming. "I would tear that _up_."

Relena and Dorothy exchanged baffled glances. "Well, he _is_ single…" Dorothy started. Problem was, Camille wasn't; she was married to one of Relena's colleagues, the ESUN minister of veteran's services.

Relena cleared her throat. "Anyway…" she started in an attempt to change the subject. Just then Heero stepped through the French doors, and strode purposefully through the room, his eyes snapping to various places and people. Relena watched him with some amusement before turning her attention back to her guests. She knew her brother and sister-in-law were still in the backyard with the twins and Dex, Quatre was with Olivia and Duo and Hilde were there with their six-year-old daughter, Helen Marie. So she was content to let Heero continue to roam about and do his security thing, and he looked every bit the perfect bodyguard, clad in all black, head to toe.

Unfortunately, the other women took notice.

"Speaking of handsome men…" Sheina sighed, her gaze fixed on Heero.

"Break me off a piece of _that_ ," Camille sang, eyeing Heero up and down with an appreciative curve of her lips. Relena gawked at her, but Dorothy held up a hand and shook her head. The warning reminded Relena to hold her tongue, even if they _were_ talking about her husband; clearly they didn't realize.

 _See, Trowa?_ Relena wanted to taunt him. _Not_ everyone _knows…_

"I don't know how you do it, Relena," Camille continued, taking her eyes off Heero briefly to glance at her hostess.

"Do what?" Relena asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Share a household with this hunk of a man as your employee and manage to keep your sanity," Camille sighed dreamily. "Not to mention keep your clothes on around him... I would lose my everloving _mind_ if all I could do was look and not touch…" Her eyes glazed over. Relena felt her cheeks grow hot.

"Well you'd better just enjoy the view, because you certainly can't touch," Dorothy snapped. "You _are_ married, after all." She trilled a laugh to defuse the situation. Camille scoffed and took another long swig from her glass.

"Was," she said, her voice flat. "Henri and I have separated." She downed the remaining contents of her glass, and Dorothy and Relena gaped at one another. Sheina gave Camille a pitying pat on the shoulder.

" _Yikes,"_ Dorothy mouthed in Relena's direction, her mouth creasing in a grimace. Relena was certain she was making a similar face.

"I'm so sorry, Camille," she said with as much sympathy as she could muster. "That must be so hard."

"Oh, you have _no_ idea," Camille said with a dramatic huff, flipping her long, curled hair over one shoulder for good measure. "I caught him with his lovely little secretary. He kept 'working late' so I went over to his office to investigate and, well…" Camille sighed deeply, her shoulders heaving.

 _Ew,_ Relena thought. She _worked_ there, although, thankfully, she had her own office. And she'd be lying if she and Heero hadn't had their share of indecent moments in the ESUN building, behind closed doors, although it had been a long time since they'd fooled around at work. These days they were _much_ more careful. Which, of course, was not as fun as sneaking around…

Camille's voice cut into Relena's wayward thoughts.

"Anyway, ladies, don't feel sorry for me. I'm taking the bastard for all he's worth." Camille gave them all a sly grin. "And besides, now I get to have passionate, dirty hate sex with anyone I want."

Relena's eyes bulged. She took a quick gulp of champagne in an attempt to flush the heat from her face, but of course, it wasn't helping. Dorothy chuckled behind her hand before shooting Relena a disgusted look. Even Sheina looked bashful, and turned her attention to her own champagne.

Camille was still watching Heero with a predatory look in her eyes. She handed her empty champagne flute to Sheina and tugged at her formfitting dress.

"Ladies, if you'll excuse me…"

Relena watched in horror as the woman started sauntering toward Heero. She turned panicked eyes to Dorothy, who let out an unladylike snort.

"This should be fun to watch." Dorothy gave Relena's shoulder a jab. "Someone needs to set her straight."

Relena rolled her eyes and continued to sip her champagne. "Oh, don't worry. He will."

The question was, would Heero's rejection cause Camille to make a scene? Relena finished off the rest of her drink and immediately wanted a refill. She only hoped whatever happened wouldn't ruin the rest of the party. They had come so close to having a drama-free day.

Dorothy and Relena huddled together and watched the scene unfold. Camille glided up to Heero, who was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, eyes sweeping over the room. Camille sidled up next to him, hand at her hip, and said something to him. Heero didn't seem to be listening, continuing to watch the crowd. Camille's other hand joined her other hip and she addressed him again. Heero tore his gaze away from the group with an obvious eye roll that Relena could see from across the room. His annoyance made her smile.

She watched as Heero opened his mouth and appeared to say just one word to the woman, and Relena wished she could read lips. Whatever he said, Camille was nonplussed, and continued to stand there, talking to him. She moved closer and Heero took a step back, looking irate at the intrusion. He said something else to Camille, raising his voice, so that even though Relena couldn't hear what he was saying, she could make out his low tones. And he sounded pissed.

Dorothy smiled over her glass. "See? I knew this would be fun."

Relena scoffed. "It's embarrassing, is what it is."

"Sad," Sheina lamented, not sounding sad at all. "Poor Camille," she cooed. Relena and Dorothy both saw right through the false sincerity, giving one another knowing looks.

The trio of women watched as Heero stomped out of the room, but not before he shot an exasperated look in their direction.

"Ooh, he's mad," Sheina observed. Dorothy just laughed. Camille's shoulders sagged but she immediately straightened up, spun on her heel and strode back over to the group, snatching another champagne flute from a waiter's tray as she walked.

"Well," she huffed, her eyes snapping to the other women. " _That_ was a waste of time."

"Oh, really?" Dorothy feigned surprise. "You don't say?" Relena fought to suppress a smile. "Well, come on," Dorothy prodded. "We're dying to know what he said..."

Camille gave a helpless shrug. "He's gay."

"What?!" Relena all but shrieked. _That's_ what Heero had said? She was immediately doubtful. He'd been approached by countless women over the years and had developed his own tactics for brushing them off, but usually that involved a gruff word or, worst case scenario, his trademark death glare. Never had he had to lie about his sexuality, as far as Relena was aware.

Did he _really_ have to go there? She wondered.

Luckily the other women were continuing to press the issue, so Relena didn't have to.

"I knew it," Dorothy exclaimed, shooting Relena a conspiratorial grin. Relena resisted the urge to elbow her in the ribs.

"What did he say, exactly?" Sheina asked.

"Oh, you know, I was just trying to flirt with him a little," Camille said with faux innocence, giving her hair another mighty flip. "But he came right out and said he wasn't interested. Because he's _gay_ ," she added more firmly.

Relena could tell from Camille's tone and body language that she was lying; she would have to ask Heero what he'd _really_ said, later. Not that it mattered; whatever he'd said had had the desired result.

But Relena had the chance to debrief her husband after most of the guests had left, save for their closest friends. Milliardo and Noin, Duo and Hilde, Quatre and Dorothy were all fanned about the living room while their children played together. Dex was showing off his new Wing Zero model to an enthralled Lucca; Helen Marie and Lena were building a structure with Dex's blocks, while little Olivia sat watching the older kids, her blue eyes luminous and curious. Only Trowa was nowhere to be found, but Relena wouldn't have been surprised if he had just taken off. Relena would have liked to pay him what she was going to pay the ousted magician for keeping the kids - and grownups - entertained all afternoon. She had a feeling he wouldn't accept any money, though.

She found Heero alone in his private study, having a feeling that he might be there. He was crouched over his desk, typing on his laptop. She smiled and shut the door behind her.

"That went better than expected," she said. Heero glanced up from his computer and matched her smile.

"Yeah, not too bad." His smile turned slightly sheepish. "I hoped you wouldn't mind the change in the entertainment lineup. Trowa did pretty well, though."

Relena rolled her eyes playfully as she perched on the edge of his desk. "Lucky for you, it all worked out." She wagged a finger at Heero. "But next time, I'd appreciate more notice before you go and make changes on me. Especially when I'm the one planning these things…"

Heero reached up and caught her hand in his, leveling her with his steady gaze.

"Agreed," he said simply, before pressing a kiss to her palm. Relena sighed.

"It's impossible to stay angry with you. And you know it, don't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Heero released her hand and gave her a smirk before turning back to his laptop. Relena sat gaping down at him for a moment.

"Well, are you going to stay in here and slave the evening away, or come out and join your friends?"

Heero frowned. "I've had enough socializing for one day."

Relena folded her arms over her chest. "And what kind of example does that make for Dex?"

"I was at the party all day, wasn't I?" Heero glowered.

"Working," Relena said pointedly. "It's not like you got to enjoy yourself at all. Now you can. It's just our friends here, now."

Heero grumbled something under his breath, but stood and snapped his laptop lid shut.

"What was that?" Relena fanned her lashes at him.

"Nothing," he muttered. He came around to her side of the desk, placed both his hands on her waist and kissed her fully on the lips. But his mumbling reminded her of what had happened earlier. She broke off the kiss and tapped him on the nose.

"What did you say to Camille earlier?"

"Huh?" Heero's eyes narrowed. "You mean that woman who's married to what's his face?"

Heero knew very well who these people were, but he clearly didn't care. Relena smiled sweetly at him.

"Yes, that's the one."

Heero let out an irritated huff. "Well, you saw what happened. She was trying to hit on me. I told her to back off." He shrugged one shoulder. "That was all."

Relena cocked her head to the side. "Is that what you said, word for word?"

"I don't remember what I said, word for word."

"Oh, sure you do." She rolled her eyes.

Her husband frowned and raked a hand through his hair. "All right. She said something about what a drag it was that I had to work at a party. I ignored her. Then she asked me if I wanted to 'go somewhere more private,' or something. I continued to ignore her. She tried to approach so I backed away. Then she asked what was wrong with me; I said, 'Nothing.' She asked me what my problem was and said I must be gay, since I wasn't interested in her." Now Heero rolled his eyes. "I didn't disagree with her. I said, 'Think what you want.' And I left."

Relena burst out laughing. "Oh, goodness, Heero…"

He tightened his grip on her waist. "I'm glad you think it's so funny. Now you owe me." Relena stopped laughing. Heero's eyes glinted dangerously.

"Why do I _owe_ you?" She jabbed his chest.

"Because," he answered, lowering his lips to her collarbone. "You subjected me to that horrible woman."

"I didn't _mean_ to-" Relena started, but her protest vanished as Heero feathered kisses to her exposed bit of skin. She had worn a tasteful a-line dress with a boatneck top, but Heero made it feel far sexier than it was. Her whole body felt inflamed as he tasted her skin.

"We should finish this later," she murmured into his hair. "Our friends are waiting."

"Uh-huh…" But Heero didn't move to leave. Instead he pulled up her skirt and gently parted her legs with his hands. "First things first…"

Denying him was useless, at least for the moment. And anyway, Relena didn't _want_ to stop. She reasoned they could get away with a brief makeout session, or even a quickie, before their friends would miss them. Besides, she knew wine had been poured, beer cans opened, and none of them were in a hurry to leave.

Relena wove her arms around Heero's neck as his mouth descended on hers, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss. She kissed him with equal passion as she wrapped her legs around his torso. He leaned into her and she arched her hips so they could grind together as they became more entangled, their kisses growing in fervor. Heero's hands were under her skirt, pulling her panties to the side, which was an inefficient way to do things, in Relena's mind. But she followed his lead, undid his belt and yanked down his zipper, pulling his pants down just enough…

And then he was easing himself inside, and they had done this so many times over the past decade that the move was completely seamless. Still, Relena's eyes lolled back and she moaned at that first stroke inside her. Heero buried his face in the crook of her neck, his hands in her hair, giving her strands a primal tug before sliding his hands down her back. He was fumbling with her zipper, but there was no need to remove her dress; they were already in the throes of lovemaking, and Relena could feel her climax coming quickly. She could tell from the pace of Heero's thrusts, and the shortness of his breaths, that his own release was coming soon. Once in a while, they seemed to time things perfectly and finish together, although Relena knew it had to be a coincidence. It was still amazing when it did happen.

This time Relena's orgasm came first. Not that she minded. She buried her face in Heero's dress shirt and bit her lip to suppress a moan; she didn't need her guests to hear what they were doing. She already felt a little dirty at the thought of doing this while they had friends over; but several of them would most likely spend the night, anyway, since most had traveled from far away just for Dex's party, and she knew not everyone had gotten hotel rooms. Relena had cleaned the whole house, just in case… In any event, she and Heero would have most likely made love that night, houseful or no; doing it now was no different, really.

Heero grunted against her shoulder, and his hips slowed. Relena stroked his hair, relishing the feeling of his completion. And she said a little prayer that maybe, just maybe, his seed would work its magic…

He lifted his head up and captured her lips in a warm, wet kiss. Relena kept her hands in his hair. Heero gripped her tightly against him. Their lips parted and Relena whispered, their faces still close, "We have to go back out there, now…"

"Fine," Heero relented, but his eyes sparked. "One more to go…"

His lips sought another kiss, and Relena complied, circling her arms around his neck to complete their embrace.

Their heads snapped up at the sound of the study door opening. Relena shot up another quick prayer that it wasn't Dex; he didn't need to see his parents like that, although he wouldn't know _exactly_ what they'd been doing… At least they were mostly clothed.

Heero scrambled to pull his pants all the way up just as the door slowly creaked open. Relena bashfully turned her face away. There were voices at the door - thankfully, adult voices - a man's low chuckle and a woman's giggle.

The door pushed open fully, and Trowa stopped dead in his tracks, taking in Relena where she still sat on the edge of the desk, dressed but disheveled, and Heero doing his best to put himself back together. They were caught, and it was completely obvious.

Trowa arched a brow, but of course he didn't care. But the other person did.

Camille stood just behind Trowa, one hand gripping his arm, the other clutching a bottle of wine.

" _Relena?!"_ she gasped, her eyes bulging. "You and the _bodyguard_?!" She sounded horrified. Then she whirled on Heero. "I thought you were gay?!"

Heero stood to his full height and straightened his tie, but said nothing. Trowa harrumphed before bursting into a hearty laugh. Relena flushed scarlet and pushed herself off of the desk, storming past Camille and Trowa.

"I don't know what you were planning to do in here, but don't," Relena said sharply. Camille immediately stiffened. Trowa was still laughing boisterously.

"Come on Trowa," Camille hissed to him, tightening her hold on his arm. "Let's get out of here."

Trowa stopped laughing, although his shoulders still shook. "Fine by me."

Heero shot them both his darkest glare. "One word of this to anyone-"

Trowa held up his hands in defense. "Relax. You have nothing to worry about." Heero's eyes flicked from him to Camille.

"I meant you," he said curtly.

She fidgeted under Heero's stony gaze. "Who would I tell?" She laughed nervously, averting eye contact.

"No one," Heero growled.

Relena rested a hand on his shoulder. "That's enough," she said softly. "I'm sure Camille understands that this is a sensitive matter. Right, Camille?" She fixed her friend with a hard look.

Camille slowly glanced up at Relena. "Why of course…" Her eyes glittered. "Now if I had known about this sooner, I wouldn't have tried anything. You understand."

Relena nodded, wanting the conversation to end, turning to head back to their friends in the living room, when Camille caught her by the arm.

"Wait." Camille's eyes widened as she looked from Relena to Heero. "Do you mean… Is Dex?..."

Relena jolted back as Heero thrust a protective arm in front of her and advanced toward Camille, boxing her in against the study door. Relena couldn't see his eyes then, but knew they must look deadly. All the color drained from Camille's face.

"Like I was saying," he snapped, "if you breathe one word to _anyone_ -" He rested his hand on the side of his belt, where Relena knew his gun was holstered.

"Heero!"

He turned his head at the sound of her voice and bristled under the glare she was giving him.

"Sorry," he muttered.

Camille looked shell-shocked. "I won't tell a soul, I swear!" she squeaked.

Finally, Heero let her and Trowa go. Relena didn't even have time to absorb the fact that Trowa had gotten involved with the randy divorcee as she and Heero returned to the rest of their friends.

Heero spent the evening with a scowl etched across his features. No one else seemed to notice or care; by now they all knew him well enough to know not to take the expression to heart. But Relena was still a bit shaken up by the fact that they had slipped and were caught. In their own home, nonetheless. And she didn't trust Camille to stay quiet, despite her promise and Heero's threat.

"What if this gets out?" Relena whispered worriedly to Heero later that night, in the darkness of their bedroom.

"I'll see that it doesn't," he said as he stretched out beside her.

"You can't just threaten someone's life over information," she sighed.

"Can't I?"

"No."

Heero let out a huff, his version of a sigh. "Fine. Then what do you suggest I do?"

"I don't know if there's anything you _can_ do. Intimidation is one thing, but…" Relena fidgeted with the duvet. "Camille's husband - ex-husband - is pretty well-connected. He has a lot of influence in ESUN. If-"

"If they're divorced, then why would she say something to him?" Heero cut in.

"I don't know, but she could…"

"Then so what?" Heero turned to face her.

"So what?" Relena all but shrieked. "You know what…"

"So just beat her to the punch." Heero was nonplussed. "Make an announcement, like we talked about. Do it on your terms."

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Doubts were still swirling in Relena's mind. She felt Heero's arms wrap around her in the dark, folding her into his chest.

"It's probably the best we can do," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. "Especially if you want to have another kid…"

Relena's heart fluttered. "Do you?"

She felt his shoulders shrugged. "If that's what you really want…"

Relena threw her arms around his neck and gave him an affectionate squeeze. "Yes," she whispered, "I do."

Heero chuckled and threaded his fingers through her hair. "And you want a wedding… and a second honeymoon… sounds like you're going to keep me busy."

Relena laughed before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You bet I am."

She felt happier than she'd even known was possible, locked in Heero's embrace, her heart soaring at the thought of having another baby. _Their_ baby. No matter how they would have to rearrange their lives to make it happen, Relena knew it would be worth it. And the world would know it. The world would know _him_ and, finally, that seemed okay.

As for secrets? Well. Not all secrets were meant to be kept.

* * *

 **Spring, A.C. 197**

"In rose… 'Inside the roses,' or something? Did you ever hear of it?" Relena glanced curiously over at Heero. He had shown up out of the blue while she was drafting a crucial peace treaty, and had given her quite a shock. It was only fair that she pick his brain, while he was there.

He looked thoughtfully off into the treeline that surrounded the garden where they sat just a short distance from one another, but didn't take long to ponder her question.

"The ancient Germanic tribes thought of roses as symbols," he started. It figured that Heero Yuy would have an encyclopedic brain. Relena arched a brow but continued to listen. "If blood-red roses flowered on the grave markers of the dead, it meant that the person's soul had transcended death and gone on to live again. Just like the Earth and colonies have now."

Relena didn't dare to so much as breathe as he spoke, so transfixed she was by his words.

"And that's why this place is perfect for the signing of a treaty that bans all weapons," he concluded, his eyes darting in a quick glance around them before returning to her. Relena's brows lifted higher as she weighed his words. Always so serious, this one. He stared back at her unblinkingly. Relena smiled.

 _I wonder if this is Heero's way of trying to cheer me up?_

Her smile broadened and she giggled. Heero's brows shot up as she inched closer to him. He had the look of a scared rabbit about to make a mad dash across the lawn, but he remained still. Relena sat back down and leaned her back against his, so she could be close to him without freaking him out too much. She hoped.

"You know," she said fondly, lifting her eyes to the sky, "even when nobody is around, all I have to do is remember that _Heero_ is somewhere out there, and I feel I can go on." She sighed, the weight of her confession leaving her chest. She might as well have bared her soul, told him she had a massive crush on him, to boot, but that would come in time. Maybe.

Heero turned then to face her, and Relena felt the heat as it crept into her cheeks. He was regarding her with a deadly serious expression, but his eyes were curious. He lifted a hand to her face, and lightly stroked her cheek. She flamed instantly under his touch, and she could only imagine how red and ridiculous her face must have looked. But she was unable to hide her astonishment, that he was touching her. Her heart beat wildly. What if…

What if they kissed?

Heero dragged his pointer finger just under Relena's lower lashes, and she thought she might faint.

"Hey," he murmured, a frown crossing his face. "Were you… crying?" His tone was cloaked in disapproval, a stark contrast to his gentle caress. "I thought you were stronger than that?"

His words were like whiplash. Relena huffed and pulled back from him.

"I'm human, too!" she cried, grasping at her chest. "And every once in a while… not very often at all," she added more quietly, "even I can feel a little down. And why not? I'm feverish, but I can't get any rest! I have to fix the paperwork! I fall off a balcony! I twist my ankle! And it swells up bigger than I've ever seen before!"

Heero's eyes seemed to widen at every fresh outburst, but Relena continued, unabashed.

"And then... _you_ appear right in front of me, and I'm so surprised that I completely forget to finish my good cry!" Relena finished her tirade, her chest heaving from the effort. Heero's gaze never wavered.

"Yeah…" he deadpanned. "Sorry about that."

Relena gaped at him for a moment, sliding up a skeptical brow once more. This boy.

This boy was too much.

She sighed and collapsed against him again, this time leaning her back against his propped up legs. He didn't move away, which Relena took as a good sign. Clearly he didn't mind the contact.

"You know," she said softly. "I'd be glad if you'd show up and see me every so often. That way I'd still have the strength to go on." She sighed and slumped down a little lower, so that her head rested on his left leg. "You see?"

Relena could feel herself nodding off, though she wasn't sure why. She wasn't that tired, was she?

She didn't know how long they stayed there in the garden like that, but her lids and head felt heavy, and finally, she allowed herself to rest. After a while, she was vaguely aware of a pair of strong arms lifting her, holding her against an equally firm chest, but she could have easily been dreaming. She prayed she wasn't. She swore she could feel Heero's chest rumble along with the deep timbre of his voice.

"As you wish."

 _In rose, the symbol of happiness._

 _And sub-rosa, Latin for "under the roses," means a well-kept secret._

 _And this is my own secret._

 _The End_

* * *

 _A/N:_

 _Dear readers,_

 _Yes, this is it! I want to thank each one of you who has taken the time to follow, favorite and/or review this story... your kind words are so encouraging to me in my fledgling little writing career! I have been promising you at least one more_ UTR _update, but always intended for this story to be on the shorter side. I considered splitting this chapter up, but it just didn't feel right. So I hope this will tide you over until I am ready to share my next Heero and Relena adventure._

 _It means a lot that so many of you have expressed such an affinity for this story, especially since I never planned for it to go beyond a chapter, or two, or three... Now we have five! But I do feel that this phase of Heero and Relena's story is complete, and it's time to move on to other material... The good news for my fellow rabid 1xR fans is that I have plenty more to share. Please be patient as I may not be able to update as regularly in the coming months - another reason I wanted to end this story here - as I am planning my wedding. WEEEEEEE! But I will be back! That's a promise; you can hold me to it. ;)_

 _Love love love,_

 _RFP_

 _P.S. I made some minor edits to the penultimate scene, for those who are interested in that sort of thing... see if you notice anything!_

 _P.P.S. I want to thank all the guest reviewers; I appreciate your taking the time to leave reviews! Next time log in so I can thank you personally ;) Thanks y'all!_


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